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第27章

mary stuart-第27章

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cause; and we shall see what judges will dare to condemn me。〃



〃But that is what they will take good care not to do; madam; for they

would be mad to do it when they keep you here in this isolated

castle; in the care of your enemies; having no witness but God; who

avenges crime; but who does not prevent it。  Recollect; madam; what

Machiavelli has said; 'A king's tomb is never far from his prison。'

You come of a family in which one dies young; madam; and almost

always of a sudden death: two of your ancestors perished by steel;

and one by poison。〃



〃Oh; if my death were sudden and easy;〃 cried Mary; 〃yes; I should

accept it as an expiation for my faults; for if I am proud when I

compare myself with others; Melville; I am humble when I judge

myself。  I am unjustly accused of being an accomplice of Darnley's

death; but I am justly condemned for having married Bothwell。〃



〃Time presses; madam; time presses;〃 cried Melville; looking at the

sand; which; placed on the table; was marking the time。  〃They are

coming back; they will be here in a minute; and this time you must

give them an answer。  Listen; madam; and at least profit by your

situation as much as you can。  You are alone here with one woman;

without friends; without protection; without power: an abdication

signed at such a juncture will never appear to your people to have

been freely given; but will always pass as having been torn from you

by force; and if need be; madam; if the day comes when such a solemn

declaration is worth something; well; then you will have two

witnesses of the violence done you: the one will be Mary Seyton; and

the other;〃 he added in a low voice and looking uneasily about him;

〃the other will be Robert Melville。〃



Hardly had he finished speaking when the footsteps of the two nobles

were again heard on the staircase; returning even before the quarter

of an hour had elapsed; a moment afterwards the door opened; and

Ruthven appeared; while over his shoulder was seen Lindsay's head。



〃Madam;〃 said Ruthven; 〃we have returned。  Has your Grace decided?

We come for your answer。〃



〃Yes;〃 said Lindsay; pushing aside Ruthven; who stood in his way; and

advancing to the table;〃 yes; an answer; clear; precise; positive;

and without dissimulation。〃



〃You are exacting; my lord;〃 said the queen: 〃you would scarcely have

the right to expect that from me if I were in full liberty on the

other side of the lake and surrounded with a faithful escort; but

between these walls; behind these bars; in the depths of this

fortress; I shall not tell you that I sign voluntarily; lest you

should not believe it。  But no matter; you want my signature; well; I

am going to give it to you。  Melville; pass me the pen。〃



〃But I hope;〃 said Lord Ruthven; 〃that your Grace is not counting on

using your present position one day in argument to protest against

what you are going to do?〃



The queen had already stooped to write; she had already set her hand

to the paper; when Ruthven spoke to her。  But scarcely had he done

so; than she rose up proudly; and letting fall the pen; 〃My lord;〃

said she; 〃what you asked of me just now was but an abdication pure

and simple; and I was going to sign it。  But if to this abdication is

joined this marginal note; then I renounce of my own accord; and as

judging myself unworthy; the throne of Scotland。  I would not do it

for the three united crowns that I have been robbed of in turn。〃



〃Take care; madam;〃 cried Lord Lindsay; seizing the queen's wrist

with his steel gauntlet and squeezing it with all his angry strength

take care; for our patience is at an end; and we could easily end

by breaking what would not bend。〃



The queen remained standing; and although a violent flush had passed

like a flame over her countenance; she did not utter a word; and did

not move: her eyes only were fixed with such a great expression of

contempt on those of the rough baron; that he; ashamed of the passion

that had carried him away; let go the hand he had seized and took a

step back。  Then raising her sleeve and showing the violet marks made

on her arm by Lord Lindsay's steel gauntlet;



〃This is what I expected; my lords;〃 said she; 〃and nothing prevents

me any longer from signing; yes; I freely abdicate the throne and

crown of Scotland; and there is the proof that my will has not been

forced。〃



With these words; she took the pen and rapidly signed the two

documents; held them out to Lord Ruthven; and bowing with great

dignity; withdrew slowly into her room; accompanied by Mary Seyton。

Ruthven looked after her; and when she had disappeared; 〃It doesn't

matter;〃 he said; 〃she has signed; and although the means you

employed; Lindsay; may be obsolete enough in diplomacy; it is not the

less efficacious; it seems。〃



〃No joking; Ruthven;〃 said Lindsay; 〃for she is a noble creature; and

if I had dared; I should have thrown myself at her feet to ask her

forgiveness。〃



〃There is still time;〃 replied Ruthven; 〃and Mary; in her present

situation; will not be severe upon you: perhaps she has resolved to

appeal to the judgment of God to prove her innocence; and in that

case a champion such as you might well change the face of things。〃



〃Do not joke; Ruthven;〃 Lindsay answered a second time; with more

violence than the first; 〃for if I were as well convinced of her

innocence as I am of her crime; I tell you that no one should touch a

hair of her head; not even the regent。〃



〃The devil! my lord;〃 said Ruthven。  〃I did not know you were so

sensitive to a gentle voice and a tearful eye; you know the story of

Achilles' lance; which healed with its rust the wounds it made with

its edge: do likewise my lord; do likewise。〃



〃Enough; Ruthven; enough;〃 replied Lindsay; 〃you are like a corselet

of Milan steel; which is three times as bright as the steel armour of

Glasgow; but which is at the same time thrice as hard: we know one

another; Ruthven; so an end to railleries or threats; enough; believe

me; enough。〃



And after these words; Lord Lindsay went out first; followed by

Ruthven and Melville; the first with his head high and affecting an

air of insolent indifference; and the second; sad; his brow bent; and

not even trying to disguise the painful impression which this scene

had made on him。' '〃History of Scotland; by Sir Walter Scott。'The

Abbott〃: historical part。'









CHAPTER VI



The queen came out of her room only in the evening; to take her place

at the window which looked over the lake: at the usual time she saw

the light which was henceforth her sole hope shine in the little

house in Kinross; for a whole long month she had no other consolation

than seeing it; every night; fixed and faithful。



At last; at the end of this time; and as she was beginning to despair

of seeing George Douglas again; one morning; on opening the window;

she uttered a cry。  Mary Seyton ran to her; and the queen; without

having strength to speak; showed her in the middle of the lake the

tiny boat at anchor; and in the boat Little Douglas and George; who

were absorbed in fishing; their favourite amusement。  The young man

had arrived the day before; and as everyone was accustomed to his

unexpected returns; the sentinel had not even blown the horn; and the

queen had not known that at last a friend had come。



However; she was three days yet without seeing this friend otherwise

than she had just done…that is; on the lake。  It is true that from

morning till evening he did not leave that spot; from which he could

view the queen's windows and the queen herself; when; to gaze at a

wider horizon; she leaned her face against the bars。  At last; on the

morning of the fourth day; the queen was awakened by a great noise of

dogs and horns: she immediately ran to the window; for to a prisoner

everything is an event; and she saw William Douglas; who was

embarking with a pack of hounds and some huntsmen。

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